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Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
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CrowdHydrology: crowdsourcing hydrologic data and engaging citizen scientists
Christopher S Lowry1, Michael N Fienen
1Department of Geology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. cslowry@buffalo.edu
Ground Water
|June 22, 2012
Summary
Citizen scientists can collect valuable hydrologic data, like stream stage, using inexpensive methods. This crowdsourced approach offers a supplemental data collection strategy and promotes public engagement in environmental science.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Hydrology
- Citizen Science
Background:
- Distributed hydrologic measurements, such as baseflow, are costly due to equipment and personnel requirements.
- There is a need for cost-effective methods to gather spatially and temporally distributed hydrologic data at the watershed scale.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a crowdsourced database for inexpensive, distributed stream stage measurements.
- To assess the accuracy and viability of citizen scientist-collected hydrologic data.
Main Methods:
- Implementing staff gauges with signs encouraging voluntary measurements via text message.
- Establishing a server to store and display crowdsourced stream stage data.
- Analyzing the accuracy of citizen scientist measurements and the overall data collection approach.
Main Results:
- Crowdsourced data collection is a feasible supplemental method for gathering hydrologic information.
- Citizen scientist participation in collecting stream stage data is promising.
- The developed approach provides web-accessible hydrologic data.
Conclusions:
- Crowdsourcing offers a cost-effective alternative for supplemental hydrologic data collection.
- Citizen science initiatives can effectively engage the public in environmental monitoring.
- This method demonstrates potential for expanding the reach of hydrologic data acquisition.
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